Machine for treating lasted uppers

ABSTRACT

The roughening machine for lasted uppers described in my copending allowed application Ser. No. 255,052, discloses the automatic transport of a lasted upper to roughening brushes. In accordance with the invention, pinched folds in the front and heel portions of the upper, are automatically removed by grinding or milling tools which, under the control of limit switches, are moved to an operative position when passed by the transported upper, before the upper is treated by the roughening brush.

C United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,828,384 Bechtold Aug. 13, 1974 MACHINE FOR TREATING LASTED [56] References Cited UPPERS UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Johann Bechtold, Oberurse], 3,025,542 3/1962 Piotrowski 12/1 R Germany 3,107,376 10/1963 Reid et al..... l2/l R 3,274,628 9/l966 R'l h l2/l R Asslgneel Maschlnenfflbflk Moenus 3,631,553 1/1972 H lian d 12/1 A Aktiengesellschaft, Frankfurt/Main,

Germany Primary Examiner-Patrick D/Lawson [22] Fil d; M 5, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [21] Appl. No.: 338,403 [57] ABSTRACT Related Apphcatlon Data The roughening machine for lasted uppers described continuationein-parl 0f S 255,052, y 19, in my copending allowed application Ser. No. 1972, 3,733,632- 255,052, discloses the automatic transport of a lasted upper to roughening brushes. In accordance with the [30] Forelgn Appllcatlon Pnomy Data invention, pinched folds in the front and heel portions Mar. 6, 1972 Germany 221064 of the upper, are automatically removed by grinding or milling tools which, under the control of limit [52] US. Cl 12/1 A switches, are moved to an operative position when [51] Int. Cl. A43d passed by the transported upper, before the upper is [58] Field of Search l2/l R, l A, 77, 86, 7, treated by the roughening brush,

12187 1 W 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures -TFruw 1 O 11 1! 20 I :Lfii I I w i [j I II j ,4 I

rin I I 2 La 75 I3 Z/ 7 0 l I I\. la 22 23 2 0 PATENIEB AUG 1 3874 MACHINE FOR TREATING LASTED UPPERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION which is detrimental to the health of the worker, and

therefore automatic roughening machines are preferred.

In the known constructions, roughening tools work under the control of a sensing device or under the control of a cam, but are incapable of removing the large folds formed at the front end and heel end of the upper. Consequently, the grinding or milling operation required for removing folds, had to be carried out by a manual operation, which substantially reduces the economy of operation of a roughening machine as disclosed in the US. Pat. No. 3,733,632.

It is an object of the invention to overcome this disadvantage of an automatic roughening machine, and substitute an automatic machine operation for the manual operation by which folds are removed from the upper.

Another object of the invention is to obtain complete automatization of the entire treatment'of an upper, without manual operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With these objects in view, material-removing rotary tools are used on the upper before the upper is roughened by automatic tools. Preferably, one materialremoving tool is used for the point or front end of the upper to remove folds, and the other tool removes the folds in the heel portion. The rotary tools, which may be milling tools or grinding tools, rotate in opposite directions.

Preferably, the tool operating at the point of the shoe runs in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the transported upper, while the rotary tool at the rear end of the upper rotates in the same direction in which the upper is transported.

The rotary material-removing tool working at the front end of the upper, is preferably a cylindrical milling tool with an outer cylindrical, convex, or concave, I

engaging surface. The axial length of the tool corresponds to the width of the largest size upper which is to be roughened. The outer engaging surface can be provided with teeth, made of a hard special metal, or covered by a metal layer formed by medium or rough carbide granules.

The material-removing tool operating at the heel portion of the upper, can be constructed in the same manner, but a cylindrical engaging surface is preferred, since the heel portion of the upper is planar. A grinding tool with average or coarse granulation may be used.

In order to assure a reliable removal of coarse folds, the rotary tools operate at a very high peripheral speed. The control of the tools may be carried out by electric, pneumatic, hydraulic control means, or several types may be combined. Each tool is independently controlled to engage and release the respective portion of the uppenThe pressure of the tools on the respective portions of the upper, is determined by springs, or is ad- ,justed by a pressure medium, such air or oil.

In order to prevent a milling through or grinding through the insole of the pinched upper, the rotary tools are guided at a predetermined distance from the insole by sensing means, depending on the thickness of the leather and the folds of the upper. The sensing of the position of the tools may be accomplished by sensing rolls, mounted on pivotally supported tool holders which carry the shafts of the tools.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic front view of an embodiment of the invention provided in a roughening machine; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view, partially in section, illustrating a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 on a larger scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An endless chain conveyor 1 is driven by rollers la and lb so that its upper run moves in the direction of the arrow 1c. A carriage 2 with wheels 23 running on guide rails 22 is connected with the upper run of the endless chain 1 and moves in the direction of the arrow 1c. A last 3 is mounted on the carriage 2 by means of a heel support 3a and a toe support 20, as described in detail in my US. Pat. No. 3,733,632. During movement of the carriage 3, lasted pinched uppers with an insole are placed on the carriage 2. The lasted uppers move in the direction of the arrow 1c under the rotary tools 5 and 6 which are mounted on toolholders 25 and 26,

respectively.

During the movement of the carriage 2, a portion thereof engages the limit sensor switches 7 and 8, which control the front tool 5, and the limit sensor switches 9 and 10 controlling movement of the heel tool 6 to and from the-operative position located in the path of the heel portion of the upper. Limit switches 7 and 8 control a valve 11 which effects operation of a cylinder and piston means 12 which acts on the tool holder 25 to move tool 5 to the operative position engaging the front end of the upper, and then to an inoperative position. In the same manner, the limit sensor switches 9 and 10 control a valve 13 which operates a cylinder and piston means 14 connected with the tool holder 26 of the heel tool 6.

The limit switches 7 and 8 are mounted on a horizontal rail 15 spaced from each other, and the limit switches 9 and 10 are mounted on a rail 15' spaced from each other so that the tools 5 and 6 engage the upper during the time period during which the carriage with the upper moves between the respective limit switches. It is possible to selectively operate only one of the cylinder and piston means 12 and 14 so that either the front end or the heel end of the upper is treated by the respective rotary tool 5 or 6.

The drawing shows the rotary tools 5 and 6 to have a cylindrical surface, but the cylindrical engaging surface may be convex or concave in accordance with the shape of the portion on which the respective tool acts.

To assure a correct depth of material removal, a sensing roller 16 is provided adjacent tool 5, and the sensing roller 16 adjacent tool 6. Sensing roller 16 follows rotary tool 5 in the direction of movement of the carriage, while sensing roller 16' preceeds the rotary tool 6 in the transporting direction. The arrangement is such that, if a sensing roller 16 or 16 engages the upper, the respective tool 5 or 6 is in such a position as to grind or mill a layer of a desired thickness from the marginal portion of the upper.

Adjustable means 17 and 17' are provided for connecting the sensing rollers 16, 16 with the respective tool holder 25,26. By adjusting the relative position between the tool holder 25 or 26 and the sensing roller 16 or 16, the position of the tool 5 or 6 is determined, and thereby the depth of the removed layer adjusted.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of machines for treating lasted uppers differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a roughening machine for a lasted upper provided with material-removing rotary tools operative at the point and heel of the upper to remove pinchedfolds before the upper is roughened by rotary brushes in an automatic operation, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A machine for treating lasted uppers, comprising supporting means; carriage means movably mounted on said supporting means and including a last for mounting an upper and an insole; drive means for moving said carriage means with said lasted upper along a path; tool means including tool holder means mounted on said supporting means for movement toward and away from said path, and at least one materialremoving rotary tool rotatably mounted on said tool holder means, and being movable with said tool holder means to and from an operative position located in said path of said lasted upper; and control means for moving said tool holder means and said tool to said operative position while said lasted upper passes along said path past said tool so that said tool engages said lasted upper for milling off or grinding off folds in said lasted upper.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising adjusting means for adjusting the position of said rotary tool on said tool holder means for adjusting the distance of said tool from said insole.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means include two limit sensors located in said path and operated by said carriage means; and operating means controlled by said limit sensors to move said tool holder means and said tool to, and out of said operative position, respectively.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said limit sensors are two limit switches spaced along said path and successively operated by said carriage means.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tool has an axial length corresponding to the width of said upper.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said tool has a substantially cylindrical engaging surface covered with a hard abrasive material.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising a feeler roller; and adjustable means for mounting said feeler roller on said tool holder means, said feeler roller being located adjacent said tool and engaging said portion of said upper for correctly positioning said tool relative to said upper so that said tool removes a layer of adjustable thickness from said upper.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tool means include two rotary material-removing tools, and said tool holder means includes two tool holders for mounting said tools in positions for engaging the front portion and the rear portion of said upper, respectively; and wherein said control means move one of said tools to said operative position when said front portion passes said one tool, and move the other of said tools to said operative position when the rear portion of said upper passes said other tool.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said control means are operable to move only a selected one of said tools to said operative position engaging the respective portion of said upper.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said tools rotate in opposite directions; and wherein said one tool rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said carriage means, and said other tool rotates in said direction of movement. 

1. A machine for treating lasted uppers, comprising supporting means; carriage means movably mounted on said supporting means and including a last for mounting an upper and an insole; drive means for moving said carriage means with said lasted upper along a path; tool means including tool holder means mounted on said supporting means for movement toward and away from said path, and at least one material-removing rotary tool rotatably mounted on said tool holder means, and being movable with said tool holder means to and from an operative position located in said path of said lasted upper; and control means for moving said tool holder means and said tool to said operative position while said lasted upper passes along said path past said tool so that said tool engages said lasted upper for milling off or grinding off folds in said lasted upper.
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising adjusting means for adjusting the position of said rotary tool on said tool holder means for adjusting the distance of said tool from said insole.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means include two limit sensors located in said path and operated by said carriage means; and operating means controlled by said limit sensors to move said tool holder means and said tool to, and out of said operative position, respectively.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said limit sensors are two limit switches spaced along said path and successively operated by said carriage means.
 5. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tool has an axial length corresponding to the width of said upper.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said tool has a substantially cylindrical engaging surface covered with a hard abrasive material.
 7. A machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising a feeler roller; and adjustable means for mounting said feeler roller on said tool holder means, said feeler roller being located adjacent said tool and engaging said portion of said upper for correctly positioniNg said tool relative to said upper so that said tool removes a layer of adjustable thickness from said upper.
 8. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tool means include two rotary material-removing tools, and said tool holder means includes two tool holders for mounting said tools in positions for engaging the front portion and the rear portion of said upper, respectively; and wherein said control means move one of said tools to said operative position when said front portion passes said one tool, and move the other of said tools to said operative position when the rear portion of said upper passes said other tool.
 9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said control means are operable to move only a selected one of said tools to said operative position engaging the respective portion of said upper.
 10. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said tools rotate in opposite directions; and wherein said one tool rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said carriage means, and said other tool rotates in said direction of movement. 